President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday issued a proclamation declaring that the solar system and outer space are open for exploration, development, and the establishment of a permanent presence by American citizens.
The document, titled “The American Declaration of Freedom in Space,” outlines the administration’s goals for human spaceflight, commercial space industry growth, and national security. According to the proclamation, the policy aims to lay the foundation for a permanent American lunar presence and prepare for future human missions to Mars. The administration stated that the United States will return to the Moon by 2028.
The proclamation cites the nation’s space history, from the Apollo 11 astronauts to the rovers that explored Mars, crediting the work of generations of astronauts, scientists, engineers, and workers. Under current leadership, the document says, the country is reinvigorating human spaceflight through executive orders and directives designed to support a competitive commercial space industry.
The document notes recent and upcoming milestones for the national space program. It states that the Artemis II mission carried astronauts around the Moon and farther from Earth than any previous human travel this past April. Next summer, the Artemis III mission will undertake a complex test flight campaign, the proclamation says.
Trump wrote that the nation will “build the facilities, develop the resources, and establish a permanent presence in space.” The document reaffirms that outer space is the province of all humans, and states that American space development and settlement will remain consistent with United States law and international obligations.
The document says the goal is to ensure American space superiority and extend the reach of exploration to strengthen national security for centuries to come. The proclamation states that the nation leading in space will shape the future of humanity, adding that the administration intends to carry values of faith and freedom into these endeavors.